Here's How I Use LLMs to Help Me Write Code
Here's How I Use LLMs to Help Me Write Code (Weblog, 2025)
Metadata
- Author: Simon Willison's Weblog
- Full Title: Here's How I Use LLMs to Help Me Write Code
- Category: #articles
- Document Tags: ai ai/dev
- Summary: The author shares how he effectively uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to assist with coding, emphasizing that while LLMs can be helpful, coding with them isn't always easy. He suggests starting with simpler code examples and using LLMs as a digital intern to save time and enhance productivity. Additionally, LLMs can be valuable for answering questions about codebases, making it easier to understand complex projects.
- URL: https://simonwillison.net/2025/Mar/11/using-llms-for-code/#atom-everything
Highlights
- Using LLMs to write code is difficult and unintuitive. It takes significant effort to figure out the sharp and soft edges of using them in this way, and there’s precious little guidance to help people figure out how best to apply them. (View Highlight)
- Set reasonable expectations (View Highlight)
- Account for training cut-off dates (View Highlight)
- Context is king (View Highlight)
- Ask them for options (View Highlight)
- Tell them exactly what to do (View Highlight)
- You have to test what it writes! (View Highlight)
- Remember it’s a conversation (View Highlight)
- Use tools that can run the code for you (View Highlight)
- Vibe-coding is a great way to learn (View Highlight)
- A detailed example # (View Highlight)
- Be ready for the human to take over (View Highlight)
- The biggest advantage is speed of development (View Highlight)
- LLMs amplify existing expertise (View Highlight)
- answering questions about codebases (View Highlight)